The Importance Of Learning CPR

The Importance Of Learning CPR:  Do you know how to do CPR?, would you be able to help in an emergency til EMS or Fire arrived? It’s never to late, and most communities have multiple ways for you to learn.

INTRODUCTION:

The first and most important reasons for learning CPR is to save a life. I can speak from personal experience on this because I am trained in CPR and I have had to use it on more than one occasion. CPR can be the key to saving a life or sustaining life until professional emergency help can arrive. A matter of minutes or seconds can determine life or death in an emergency situation and using CPR could improve those chances astronomically. So, if you are untrained in CPR, it is an excellent idea to seek out instruction from a trained individual or professional. You never know when you may be the one needed to save a life.

What Is CPR?

CPR Stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It is primarily used for heart attack and drowning victims, but I have used it to restore breathing on choking victims. Each victim was choking on food and had stopped breathing. I could detect a heartbeat in both occasions, so once I cleared the throat of what was restricting breathing, I was able to use mouth-to-mouth (with a mouth guard) and help them regain normal breathing. Heart attack victims sometimes need chest compressions to restore a proper heartbeat. CPR can help restore blood flow to the brain and other vital organs. A person could die within six to ten minutes if blood flow is restricted from the brain.

Using CPR:

I feel CPR is the most important method of first-aid one can know. Even someone who is untrained can help in aiding someone administering CPR. They can do counts out loud for breathing and timing between breath rescue and heart compressions, or they can administer heart compressions themselves. Doing something can save someone’s life over doing nothing at all. Working with CPR can help children to adult victims but special care and steps should be studied when dealing with infants. Let us go over the basic steps involved with CPR.

1. Before You Begin CPR: If you find yourself in a situation where you will need to administer CPR, call 911 or have someone do it for you. If a phone or no one is available, administer CPR first and then find a way to call. Also, remember the letters C-A-B (Circulation, Airway, Breathing) which is the order you follow using CPR.

2. Circulation: Keep blood flowing to the brain with chest compressions. Kneeling at the victim’s neck and shoulders, place one hand in the center of the chest with the other hand on top of it. Press down at least 2 inches with a one-second interval, trying for 100 compressions a minute. Take a check each minute for heartbeat and begin breath rescue.

3. Airway: Clear the airway by lifting the neck where the chin is pointing up. Look to see no objects are restricting the throat or airway.

4. Breathing: Pinch the victim’s nostrils, and place your mouth over the victim’s to make a seal, using a Pocket Mask is preferable these days, but if you don’t have one, do what you can.  Breathe in one second and watch the chest rise. Resume heart compression for a count of 30 and breathe again. This is one cycle. Continue this process until victim responds or emergency professionals arrive.

Summary:

A professional should use CPR on an infant or small child. A professional source should be sought because of the important differences used with children, as well as training steps since professional opinions may vary on the subject.  For more information visit the RedCross.org site and learn how you can take CPR and First Aid classes where you are.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."